Weighing and filling machine.



PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

W. H. DOBLE. WEIGHING AND FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

J3 /f WTf/ESSES Wssses No. 767,394. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. W, E. DOBLE.WBIGHING AND FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1904.

K0 MODEL. 5 SHEBTSSHEET 2- W65 i *WWMM (QM/L 11444 PATBNTED AUG.16,1904.

W. H. DOBLE WEIGHING AND FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

W. H. DOBLE. WEIGHING- AND FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 4, 1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0 MODEL.-

PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

W. H. DOBLE. WEIGHING AND FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEBT 5.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MATIC SCALE CORPORATION,

A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

WEIGHING AND FILLING MACHINE.

SIEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,394, dated August16, 1904;.

Application filed January 4, 1904.

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Dome, of Quincy, in the county of Norfolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Weighing and Filling Machines, of which the following isa specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for weighingand filling into packages goods which are light and bulky and where thespace which they occupy when in bulk is greatly in excess of the spacerequired when they are compressed-such goods, for instance, as tea andother herbs.

The invention will now be fully described by reference to theaccompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the claims at the close of thespecification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a machine embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation, broken away, looking upfrom the bottom of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation, on areduced scale, looking from the right of Fig. 1, showing the method ofdriving the auxiliary spider by connection with the carrier-ring. Fig. 4is an enlarged perspective view of the collapsible funnel. Fig. 5 is afront elevation of the wedge-levers for throwing the clutch, showingthem dotted in the upward position Fig. 6 is a plan view of thewedge-levers in their lower or full-line position of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is aplan view of the wedge-levers in their upper or dotted position in Fig.5. Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation, full size, of the clutchlooking from the top of sheet 1, showing the wedge-levers in theirdownward position and the clutch out of engagement. Fig. 9 is adiagrammatic end elevation of the aircylinder of a pneumaticweighing-machine looking from the left of Fig. 1, showing the method ofrocking the shafts which move the wedge-levers into position for thepush-rod to move forward and engage them to throw the clutch intooperative engagement with the driving mechanism.

In the form of machine shown in the draw- Serial No. 187,628. (Nomodel.)

ings the goods are first automatically weighed and dumped into temporaryreceptacles, which 5 for convenience of brief designation are termedbuckets. "he buckets containing the weighed material are moved to aplace of discharge, where the material is automatically discharged intothe cartons or other receptacles in which the material is to be packed.For convenience of brief designation these permanent receptacles willherein be referred to as cartons; but that term is intended to be takenbroadly as including any kind of receptacle in which the material can bepacked by the mechanism of the invention.

The mechanism shown for weighing and dumping the material into thebuckets and discharging the material from the buckets is similar to thatshown in Patent No. 720,008, dated February 10, 1903, granted to thePneumatic Scale Corporation as assignee of IVilliam H. Doble, andtherefore is not herein described in detail.

Briefly, 1 represents the carrier-ring, which is given an intermittentrotary movement through mechanism actuated by the tipping of the scale.

The buckets 2 are held by the bucket-clamps 3, attached to the ring 1,and carried around during the rotation of the ring first to thepreliminary feed-hopper 4, if a two-hopper machine be used, thence tothe scale-hopper 5, where the requisite amount for making up the balanceof the load is fed to the bucket, thence to the place of discharge intothe carton 6, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The buckets 2 are provided with a hinged bottom 7, normally kept closedby a springlatch 8, which is tripped by a stud 9 when the bucket arrivesat the discharge position over the stationary discharge-chute 10, asshown in Fig. 2. When the carrier-ring moves again after the discharge,the hinged bottom 7 is closed by trailing over the inclined ends 11 ofthe rails 12. The material passes through the discharge-chute 10 intothe receiving-funnels 13,which are successively brought around to aposition to receive the material as it is discharged from the chute 10.

The receiving-funnels 13 are provided with two opposite side walls 1414, movable toward each other, and mechanism is provided by which afterthe material has been received into the said funnels the two movablesides 14 14 are brought toward each other, thereby compressing thematerial into such shape that a plunger 15, which then pushes down uponthe top of the compressed mass, forces it bodily into the carton 6 andfurther compresses it, as will be more fully described.

The receiving-funnels and cartons are moved around intermittently inunison with the movement of the carrier-ring 1 by driving mechanismactuated by the carrier-ring 1. The means by which this synchronousmovement is effected is as follows: Mounted on a vertical rotary shaft16 are radiating arms 17, having attached to their outer ends thefunnels l3. Mounted on said shaft 16 below the arms 17 are radiatingarms 18, whichare provided at .their outer ends with plates 20 21, whichengage two adjacent sides of the cartons and push the cartons around onthe track 19. Guide-rails 22 are provided, which are sufficiently closetogether so that the cartons will fit closely between them, and thefriction of the two rails upon the cartons will prevent the cartons fromtipping forward. On the upper end of the vertical shaft 16 is asprocketwheel 23, driven by a chain 24, which connects sprocket-wheel 23with sprocket-wheel 25 on shaft 26. On the lower end of shaft 26 is apinion 27, which meshes with the carrierring 1, so that the carrier-ring1, through the intermediate mechanism above described, actuates thevertical shaft 16 and the arms 17 and 18, carried by said shaft. It isobvious that the particular form of intermediate mechanism by which thecarrier-ring 1 drives the shaft 16 may be varied and come within thescope of this invention.

The receiving-funnels 13, as already stated, are formed with twoopposite sides adapted to be moved toward each other to compress thematerial before it is forced into the carton. The preferred form ofconstruction is as follows: The two fixed sides of the funnel are formedwidest at the top and taper from the top toward the bottom, where theyare narrowed down to about the width of the carton which is intended tobe used with the machine. The two movable sides 14 14 are hinged attheir lower ends to the lower ends of the fixed sides and are of suchwidth that when turned on their hinges they may move between the twofixed sides. They are provided with springs 28, which normally holdthesides 14 in their most widely-separated position and bring them backto this position when they are released after' having been broughttoward each other. The frame-plates 29 prevent the movable sides 14 fromspreading beyond the limits of the fixed sides. On the upper ends of theswinging sides 14 are secured the two studs 30 30, extending above thetop of the funnel and carrying on their upper ends rollers 31 31.Fastened to the supportingbars 32 33 are two curved rails 34 35, betweenand against which the rollers 31 move during a portion of the movementof the funnels 13. The rails 34 35 are arranged to converge toward eachother in the direction of movement of the funnels, so that during themovement of the funnels from their position under the discharge-chute 10to the position where the material is to be forced from the funnel intothe carton the engagement of the rollers 31 31 with the rails 34 35 willcause the sides 14 14 to swing toward each other on their hinges into aposition where they are parallel with each other, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 4.

This will compress the material into a rectangular mass of approximatelythe same form and size in cross-section as the cross-section of thecarton.

On the lower end of each funnel 13 is a nozzle 36, over which is slippedthe upper end of the carton to be filled. The pressure device forforcing the compressed material out of the receiving-funnel into thecarton is located in vertical alinement with the central line of thefunnel and the carton when they are in one of the positions of rest inthe rotation of the carrier after the funnel has reached the narrowestspace between the rails 34 35 and before it has passed out fromengagement with said rails.

The pressure device and its actuating mechanism shown are as follows:The face of the plunger 15 is formed in size and shape to easily go intothe carton. The plunger is carried on the lower end of avertically-reciprocating rod 37, which moves in suitable bearings, as 3839. Secured to the rod 37 is a cross-head 40, which is connected by rods41 41 with a lever 42, fulerumed at 43 upon a fixed part of the frame.Lever 42 is connected by rod 44 with a erank-pin 45 on crank-disk 46.Crank-disk 46 is mounted on shaft 47, on which is also a sprocket-wheel48. Sprocket 48 is connected by a chain 49 with sprocket 50 on shaft 51,.whieh is intermittently driven by a shaft 72 and intermediate mechanismactuated by the backward movement of the reciprocating frame in suchmanner as to be set in operation just after the car rier-ring comes to arest, so that the plunger 15 will operate when the carton isat rest.Shaft 51 will be referred to as the secondary shaft. While the materialis being forced into the carton, it being already under compression bythe swinging sides 14 and having a tendency to expand in all directions,it is necessary to have the walls of the carton supported externally onall sides in order to prevent bursting of the carton. On the rear side,and on the radially inner side it is supported carton.

by the plates 20 21, as already described. (See Fig. 1.)

It is necessary that the means for supporting the carton on the advanceside should be withdrawn while the carton is in motion in order not toobstruct the movement of the carton. The means provided and shown is asfollows: A supporting-plate 52 is secured to a vertical rock-shaft 53,which is located on the outer side of the circular path of movement ofthe carton in such position that by turning the rock-shaft thesupporting-plate may be swung around in front of the advance side of thecarton. A spring 5 1 normally holds the plate 52 outside of the path of'the Secured to the upper end of the rockshaft 53 is a lever 55, havingon its outer end a roll which engages with a cam 56, carried by avertically-reciprocating rod 57. Said rod 57 is rigidly connected at itsupper end with cross-head 10, so that cam 57 moves up and down at thesame time with plunger 15. \Vhen the cam 57 descends, it turns therockshaft 53 against the pressure of spring 54 and swings the plate 52around across the path of movement of the carton into position tosupport the advance side of the carton. When the cam 56 rises, thespring 54: causes the plate 52 to swing back out of the path of thecarton.

It is desirable that the support for the radially outer side of thecarton should also be withdrawn from contact with the carton before thecarton moves after being filled. The means shown for thus supporting andwithdrawing is as follows: Pivoted at 58 outside of the path of movementof the carton is a supportingdate 59, carrying at its upper end a .rollwhich engages with a cam 60, carried by rod 57. WVhen rod 57 descends,the cam 60 turns the plate 59 into position to support the outer side ofthe carton. When the rod 57 rises, a spring 61 pulls the plate back onits pivot out of engagement with the carton. The guard-rails 22 areformed with a gap to permit movement of the supporting-plates 52 and 59.

After the carton has been filled it is important that as it is movedfarther around in order to be removed from the machine it should belowered out of engagement with the nozzle of the funnel 13. The meansshown by which this is accomplished is to form the track 19 with adeclining portion 19. From the foot of the decline the track extendstangentially, and the filled cartons are guided out be.- yond the rangeof the plate 21 and thence removed in any suitable way.

As the auxiliary spider which carries the cartons and receiving-funnelsis driven by connection with the carrier-ring 1 and in unison with it,it is important that the machine should not begin to move again afterthe completion of a cycle of movement unless there is a carton in properposition in engagement with the funnel beneath the discharge-clmte andone beneath the plunger to receive the material when it is forced out ofthe receiving-funnel by the plunger.

In the machine shown the cartons are brought into engagement with thenozzles of the receiving-funnels by hand at some one of itsstopping-points in the travel before the funnel reaches thedischarge-chute. In order to insure a carton always being in position toreceive the material, the starting of the machine for a new cycle ofmovement is controlled by the operator in placing a carton intoengagement with the funnel. The mechanism shown by which this isaccomplished is as follows: The feed-valve opening and closing mechanismfor the scale-hopper 5 may consist of any suitable means whereby thefeed-valve is opened after the weighing-bucket has reached the scale andwhich closes the feed-valve after the required load has been fed intothe bucket. The preferred form is a reciprocating member connected withthe feed-valve and driven by any suitable power, which is applied bymechanism actuated by the tipping of the scale to move the reciproeatingmember in direction to close the valve and mechanism which applies thepower to move the reciprocating member in the reverse direction and openthe valve when a bucket again reaches the scale. Methods for doing thisare well known, one method being by means of a solenoid, as shown inPatent No. 633,675, dated September 26, 1899, on application of G.lVatson, and another method is by compressed air, as shown in Patent No.7 20,008, dated February 10, 1903, on application of II. Doble. Themeans shown in the drawings is compressed air operated by mechanismsimilar to that shown in.Patent No. 7 20,008 and will be herein butbriefly described. In one end of a double cylinder 62 is a piston (notshown) whose stem 63 is connected with the cross-head 64:, and in theother end of the cylinder is a piston whose stem 65 is connected withcrosshead 66. The two cross-heads are connected by rods 67, which aresupported by and slide through brackets fixed to the side of thecylinder 62. The two cross-heads and connecting-rods will be referred toas the reciproeating frame. These pistons are in two cylinders placedend to end, both together being designated as cylinder 62, their outerends being open. Between the two pistons and controlling the admissionof air to actuate either piston is an air-valve which actuates thepistons to reciprocate the frame to move in a direction to alternatelyopen and close the scale-valve. When the scale tips, the reciprocatingframe moves in a direction to close the scale-valve. The ring 1, asalready stated, has an intermittent motion, it being given at each cycleof operation a movement through an are equal to that between two of thebuckets. The carrier-ring 1 is driven by pinion 68 on shaft 69,

and shaft 69 is connected by a clutch 70 and bevel-gear 71 with abevel-gear on shaft 7 2, said gear being inclosed in a casing 7 S. Thelower member of clutch 70 is fast to shaft 69, and the upper member isfast to the hub of bevel-gear 71, but loose on shaft 69. In the innerperiphery of the upper member of clutch 70 are a series of scallopedrecesses 75, adapted to be engaged by a pawl pivoted to the lowermember. A spring tends to normally hold the pawl thus engaged. Attachedto the pawl-shaft is a dog 7 6, which when the reciprocating frame is inits rearward position and the scale-valve is open is engaged by astop-lever 77 in a manner to hold the pawl out of engagement with theupper shell of the clutch 72. When the reciprocating frame moves forwardto close the hoppervalve, the thrust-rod 84, fixed to the side of thereciprocating frame, will by its engagement with wedge-arm 78 and theengagement of arm 78 with arm 79 push the sliding pin 80 to the left asviewed in Fig. 8, thereby causing the toothed collar 81 on sliding pin80, which is in engagement with stop-lever 77,

to turn lever 77 on its pivot and disengage the stop-lever from the dog76 and permitting the pawl within the clutch to be thrown by its springto lock the two members of the clutch together. The clutch is fullyshown and described in Patent N 0. 720,008, already mentioned. When thetwo members of the clutch are locked together, the pinion 68 is causedto rotate and turn the ring 1. Carried on shaft 69 is an eccentric cam85, which when said shaft has partially completed a revolution will byits engagement with arm 82, projecting from sliding pin 80, turn 'saidpin 80 on its axis far enough to turn arm 79 down out of engagement withwedge-arm 78, and a spring 83, which was compressed when the pin 80 waspushed by the sliding frame, will expand and push said pin 80 in thereverse direction back into the position shown in Fig. 8, bringingstop-lever 77 down into position to again intercept dog 76 at the end ofthe revolution of shaft 69. WVhen the dog 76 is thus intercepted, thetwo members of the clutch will be disengaged and the rotation of pinion68 and carrier-ring 1 will be stopped, the pinion 68 having made onecomplete revolution. Before the clutch 70 has completed its revolutionthe cam by its engagement with arm 82 will have turned sliding pin 80 onits axis and moved the wedge-face of arm 79 far enough in relation tothe wedge-face of arm 78 to permit the spring 83 to move sliding pin 80to the right in Fig. 8 and cause stop-finger 77 to drop into position tointercept the dog 76, and thus throw the clutch 70 out of engagement.

As already stated, the secondary shaft 51,

which drives the plunger 15, makes one revolution at each cycle ofmovement of the machine, and this movement occurs while the carrier-ringand the carton-moving head are at rest. Mechanism for doing this isshown in the drawings and is similar to mechanism shown in Patent No.720,008, already referred to, for rotating a secondary shaft while thecarrier-ring is at rest. Briefly described, it is as follows: Fast toshaft 51 is one member of a clutch 86, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) the othermember being loose on said shaft. Said clutch is similar to clutch70,already described. The loose member of the clutch is driven by abevel-gear inclosed in casing 87, the driving member of the bevel-gearbeing fast to driving-shaft 72. Upon the completion of a movement of thecarrier-ring 1 the air-valves are actuated to cause the pistons to movein a rearward direction and open the scale-valve of hopper 5. At thesame time the two members of the clutch 86 are caused to engage eachother and turn the shaft 51. On shaft 51 is a disk 88, projecting fromthe face of which are two studs 89 and 90 at different distances fromthe center of the disk. Pivoted at 91 to a fixed part of the frame is alever 92, which is connected by a link 93 with a lever 94:. Lever 941 isfixed to rock-shaft 95. Projecting from lever 92 is a boss 96, which isadapted to be engaged by the studs 89 and 90, projecting from the disk88, at different periods in the rotation of the disk. The studv 89,which is nearer the periphery of the disk, is adapted to throw the lever92 in a direction to cause the rock-shaft 95 to turn in one direction,and the continued rotation of the disk will bring the stud 90 intoengagement with the boss 96 and turn the shaft 95 in the reversedirection.

In Fig. 5 the dotted lines show the position which wedge-arm 78 assumeswhen the parts shown in Fig. 9 are in their dotted-line position, andthe full lines show the position of wedge-arm 78 when the parts shown inFig. 9 are in their full-line position.

In Fig. 6 the wedge-arm 78 is shown in plan in the position that itappears in the full-line position of Figs. 5 and 9.

In Fig. 7 the arm 78 shows the position that it occupies when turned upas shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9.

The rocking shaft 95, which carries wedgearm 78, has a movementlengthwise as well as a rocking movement.

Shaft 95 has a collar 97, (see Fig. 2,) between which and the frontbearing of shaft 95 is a spring 98, tending to hold. the shaft in arearward position, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the position of the parts shown in full lines in Fig. 9 bothhopper-valves are discharging into their respective buckets, the lever92 having been thrown by stud 90 into the position shown in said figure.The disk 'in dotted lines.

88 will continue to revolve until stud 89 has passed the positionatwhichitstrikes theboss 96 and throws lever 92 into the position shownLever 78 will then be turned upwardly, as in dotted lines in Fig. 9 andas shown in full lines in Fig. 7. In this latter position the lever 78is in the position to be pushed forward by the push-rod 84 when thereciprocating frame to which rod 84 is fixed moves forward upon thetipping of the scale.

As already stated, it is intended that a carton must be in positionunder the receiving funnel when the funnel is in its carton-receivingposition before the carrier-ring can start. Mechanism whereby the cartoncontrols the starting of the carrier-ring is provided as follows: Journaled in a fixed part of the frame of the auxiliary ring is a shaft100, carrying at its upper end a finger 99, which projects over thetrack 19 and is adapted to be engaged by the carton when a carton isplaced in position under a receiving-funnel. On the lower end of saidshaft 100 is fixed a lever 101, to which is pivoted a connecting-rod102, the other end of which is connected with the bellcrank lever 103,which in turn is connected with the upright connecting-rod 104. Theupper end of rod 104 is pivotally connected with wedge-arm 79. WVhen acarton is placed in position on a funnel, it pushes finger 99 back intothe position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and pushes connecting-rod 102to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 and pushes rod 104 upward, therebyturning wedge-arm 79 so that its inclined face 7 9 rides up on the flatface of wedge-arm 78 into the position shown in Fig. 7 and in dottedlines as shown in Fig. 5. If the Wedge-arms are in this position whenthe reciprocating frame moves forward, the rod 84 will engage wedge-arm78 at its thickest portion, and the thickest part of wedgearm 79 beingin position to engage with wedgearm 78 the forward movement of rod 84will move shafts 95 and to the left as viewed in Fig. 8 and liftstop-lever 77 out of engagement with dog 76, thereby allowing the twomembers of the clutch to become engaged with each other and the shaft 69to rotate and turn the carrier-ring 1.

As will be seen, there can be no movement of the carrier-ring 1 untilthe scale has tipped and moved the push-rod 84 forward and thecontrolling-disk 88 on secondary shaft 51 has completed its movement tobring wedge-arm 78 into its upward position and wedge-arm 79 has alsobeen brought into its upward position by the introduction of a carton.Any

one of these movements may take place in advance of the others.

If the carton has been placed in position and the disk 88 has completedits movement before the scale tips, then the wedge-arms 78 and 79 areboth already in position, so that as soon as the scale tips and thereciprocating frame moves forward the rod 84 will engage the thick partof wedge-arm 78 in the manner already described and push rods and 80forward and cause the carrier-ring l to start.

If the disk 88 has completed its movement and the scale tips before acarton has been placed in position, then the shaft 95 will be in itsforward position and wedge-arm 78 will be in its forward and upwardposition; but there can be no movement of the carrier-ring 1 until theintroduction of a carton, which will turn said arm 79 up and by therubbing engagement of the inclined face 79' of wedgearm 79 on the fiatface of wedge-arm 78 will cause the shaft 80 to move forward, wedgearm78 and shaft 95 being held by rod 84 against backward movement when thewedgearm 79 is pushed upward.

If the carton is in position when the scale tips but the disk 88 has notcompleted its movement, then the wedge-arm 78 will not have its thickportion in position to be engaged by rod 84, and therefore there can beno forward thrust of the shaft 80 and no starting of the carrier-ring 1.l/Vhen, however, the disk 88 does complete its movement, the wedge-arm78 will wedge up between the rod 84 and wedge-arm 79, and by reason ofthe practically fixed position of rod 84 at this time rods 95 and 80will be pushed forward and the carrier-ring 1 will be started.

The scale will tip and move the reciprocating frame and push-rod 84forward when the load is completed whether the secondary shaft 51 anddisk 88 have completed their movement or not and whether there is acarton on the receiving-funnel or not. The wedge-arm 78 will be movedinto its engaging position when the shaft 51 and disk 88 have completedtheir movement whether the scale has tipped or not and whether there isa carton on the receiving-funnel or not, and the placing of a carton onthe receiving-funnel will move wedge-arm 79 up into engaging positionwhether the scale has tipped and whether the disk and secondary shafthave completed their movement or not-that is, each makes its movementindependently of the others; but there can be no movement of thecarrierring until both wedge-arms and the push-rod have all comeintoengaging position. The movement of the disk and secondary shaft and thetipping of the scale and movement of the frame, however, are automaticand will take place at certain periods without regard to the operator.The introduction of the carton, however, being done by the operator, hecan control the operation to make the carrier start as soon as the diskhas completed its movement and the scale has tipped, or he can start itat any time thereafter when he pleases to introduce a carton to thereceiving-funnel, and thus run it as slow as he desires or allow it toremain at rest.

hat I claim is 1. In combination with a weighing-machine, a series ofweighing-receptacles, an intermittently-moving carrier which moves theweighing-receptacles to and from the scale, a feedvalve which is closedby the tipping of the scale, mechanism for causing the discharge of thematerial from the weighing-receptacles at a certain point in the pathafter they have been loaded, a series of funnels, anintermittently-movin g carton-receiving funnel-carrier which is actuatedby the carrier of the weighing-machine and brings the funnelssuccessively into position to receive the material as it is dischargedfrom the weighing-receptacles, and mechanism controlled by the placingof a carton on the receiving-funnel to start the carrier, substantiallyas described.

2. In combination with a weighing and package-filling machine, a seriesof funnels to receive the cartons to be filled, an intermittently-movingfunnel-carrier, and mechanism for controlling the starting of thecarrier which is actuated by the carton in being placed upon thereceiving-funnel, substantially as described.

3. In a package-filling machine a four-sided funnel having two oppositesides flaring in width from the bottom toward the top, the other twosides being pivoted at the bottom between the first pair of sides, andmeans for normally holding the pivoted sides spread, flaring withrelation to each other, and means for turning the said pivoted sidestoward each other, substantially as described.

at. In a package-filling machine, a funnel having two opposite sidespivoted at their lower ends, means for normally holding said pivotedsides flaring away from each other between the other sides, means formoving the funnel, and mechanism which engages the pivoted sides duringthe travel of the funnel and turns them toward each other, substantiallyas described.

5. In a weighing and package-filling machine, a series ofweighing-receptacles, an intermittently-moving carrier which moves theweighing-receptacles to and from the scale, a scale feedvalve, mechanismcontrolled by the tipping of the scale to close the said valve,mechanism for causing the discharge of the material from theweighing-receptacles at a certain point in their path after they havebeen loaded, an intermittently-moving cartoncarrier provided with aseries of carton-receiving funnels, connecting mechanism whereby thecarrier of the weighing mechanism actuates the carton and funnelcarrier, and brings the funnels and attached cartons successively to aposition to receive the material when discharged from the weighingreceptacles, a plunger and operating mechanism therefor controlled bythe opening of the scale feedvalve of the weighing mechanism to actuatethe plunger to descend into the funnel and force the material into thecarton beneath the funnel, substantially as described.

6. In a weighing and package-filling machine, a series ofweighing-receptacles, an intermittently-moving carrier which moves theweighing-receptacles to and from the scale, a feed-valve, mechanismcontrolled by the tipping of the scale to close the said valve,mechanism for causing the discharge of the material from theweighing-receptacles at a certain pointin their path after they havebeen loaded, an intermittently-moving carrier provided with a series ofcarton-receiving funnels each having two opposite sides pivoted at theirlower .ends and normally held flaring away from each other between theother sides, connecting mechanism whereby the carrier of the weighingmechanism actuates the funnel-carrier and brings the funnelssuccessively to a position to receive the material when discharged fromthe weighing-receptacles, mechanism which turns the pivoted sides towardeach other during the movement of the funnel-carrier, and compresses thematerial in the funnel, a plunger and operating mechanism thereforcontrolled by the closing of the scale feed-valve of the weighingmechanism to actuate the plunger to descend into the funnel and forcethe material into the carton, substantially as described.

7. In a weighing and package-filling machine, a series ofweighing-receptacles, an intermittently-moving carrier which moves theweighing-receptacles to and from the scale, a feed-valve, mechanismactuated by the tipping of the scale to close said valve and mechanismactuated by the carrier to open said valve, mechanism for causing thedischarge of the material from the weighing-receptacles at a certainpoint in their path after they have been loaded, anintermittently-moving carrier provided with a series of cartona'eceivingfunnels, connecting mechanism whereby the carrier of the weighingmechanism actuates the funnel-carrier and brings the funnelssuccessively to a position to receive the material when discharged fromthe weighing-receptacles, a plunger and operating mechanism therefor, anin termittently-rotating secondary shaft'controlled by the closing ofthe scale feed-valve to actuate the plunger to descend into the funneland force the material into thecarton,intermittently-operatingdrivingmechanism for the carrier of theweighing mechanism, and mechanism actuated by the opening of thescale-valve, mechanism actuated by the secondary shaft when it hascompleted a certain movement, and mechanism actuated by the placing of acarton on the receiving-funnel, the combined action of which threemechanisms controls the starting of the carrier of the weighingmechanism, substantially as described.

8. In a carton-filling machine, a funnel constructed to receive a cartonon its lower end, a vei'tically-reciprocating rod carrying aplunger-press, mechanism for moving the plunger down into the funnel,and forcing the material from the funnel into the attachedcarton,avertical rock-shaft and a plate mounted thereon at one side ofthe carton, means whereby the descent of the reciprocating rod andplunger causes the said rock-shaft to turn the plate across the front ofthe carton and when the said rod rises the plate is turned away from thecarton, substantially as described.

9. In a weighing and package-filling machine, a series ofweighing-receptacles, an intermittently-moving carrier whichmoves theweighing-receptacles to and from the scale, a scalefeed-valve,mechanisms controlled by the tipping of the scale to closethe said valve and the earrier,mechanism controlled by the movement ofthe carrier to open the said valve, mechanism for causing the dischargeof the material from the weighing-receptacles at a certain point intheir path after they have been loaded,an intermittently-movingcartoncarrier provided with a series of carton-receiving funnels,connecting mechanism whereby the carrier of the weighing mechanismactuates the carton and funnel carrier and brings the funnels andattached cartons successively to a position to receive the material whendischarged from the weighing-receptacles, a plunger rod and press, andoperating mechanism controlled by the opening of the scale feed-valve tocause the pressure device to descend and force the material from thefunnel into the carton and rise again, and movable supports for twosides of the carton and mechanism actuated by the descent of the plungerto move the said supports into position to support the carton while theplunger forces the material into the carton and mechanism which movesthe said supports away from the cartons when the plunger rises,substantially as described.

10. In a package-filling machine, an intermittently -rotatablecarton-carrier provided with a series of funnels which are carried bysaid carrier in a path above the path of movement of the cartons, thefunnels having two opposite sides movable toward each other between theothe pair of opposite sides, means for feeding material into the funnelswhile in one of their positions of rest, converging guides between whichthe funnels pass during a portion of their travel after receiving theirsupply, and which move said movable sides toward each other and compressthe material in the funnel laterally, and mechanism which forces thecompressed material from the funnel into the carton, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a weighing and package-filling machine, a series ofweighingmeceptacles, an intermittently-rotating carrier which moves theweighing receptacles or buckets to and from the scale, a scalefeed-valve, mechanism con trolled by the tipping of the scale to closethe valve and start the carrier, mechanism controlled by the movement ofthe carrier to open the valve, mechanism for causing the discharge ofthe material from the buckets at a certain point in their path afterthey have been loaded, an intermittently-rotating carton-carrierprovided with a series of carton-receiving funnels, connecting mechanismwhereby the carrier of the weighing mechanism actuates the carton andfunnel carrier and brings the funnels and attached cartons successivelyto a position to receive the material when discharged from theweighing-receptacles, a plunger rod and press and operating mechanismcontrolled by the opening of the scale feed-valve to cause the pressuredevice to descend and force the material from the funnel into the cartonand rise again, supports carried by the carton-carrier which engage therear side and radially inner side of the carton, and movable supportswhich are actuated by the descent of the plunger to move into positionto support the carton on the advance side and radially outer side, andmeans which move said movable supports out of the way of the carton whenthe plunger rises, substantially as described.

12. In a weighing and package-filling machine, a series ofweighing-receptacles, an intermittently-rotating carrier which moves theweighingreceptacles to and from the scale, a reciprocating member,mechanism actuated thereby which is controlled by the tipping of thescale to close the scale-valve and driving mechanism for the carriercontrolled by the closing movement of the reciprocating frame to startthe carrier, an intermittently-rotating carton-carrier provided with aseries of funnels which move above the path of movement of the cartons,connecting mechanism whereby the carrier of the weighing mechanismactuates the carton-carrier, mechanism which causes the discharge of thematerial from the weighing-receptacles into the funnels while in one ofthe, periods of rest in the travel, a pressure device controlled by thecarrier-ring near the end of its movement to actuate the pressure deviceto force the material from the funnel into the carton and then retire,an intermittently-rotating shaft which actuates the carrier, adriving-shaft and clutch connections with said intermittent shaft, andmechanism for throwing said clutch into operative engagement, saidmechanism comprising, first, a projection on the reciprocating frame;second, a secondary shaft controlled by the closing movement of thereciprocating frame, a rock-shaft actuated thereby and a wedge-armcarried by said rockshaft, and, third, a wedge-arm actuated by theoperator in placing a carton in position pleted a certain movement,substantially as IQ for the receiving-funnel, all three of whichdescribed.

sets of mechanism must cooperate before the In testimony whereof I havealfixed my sigclutch connection for driving the carrier can nature inpresence of two Witnesses. becomeoperative, so arranged that the move-WILLIAM H DOBLE ment or the carr1er-r1ng 1s at the Wlll oi the operatorin placing a carton in position, pro- Witnesses:

vide-d the reciprocating frame has closed the WILLIAM A. COPELAND,

scale-valve and the secondary shaft has co1n- ROBERT WVALLAOE.

